A fun way to build your visual vocabulary is to explore metaphors and clichés. While you should minimize the use of clichés in writing, they frequently show up in speech, and drawing them can make your sketchnotes more visually interesting.

Here’s a sampler of metaphors based on an exercise I did in the Rockstar Scribe class. Some of them didn’t resonate as much with me, so I replaced them with similar metaphors. For example, I don’t really use “against the tide” that much, so I drew a stick figure rolling a boulder up hill. If you play around with these ideas, I’m sure you can come up with even more!

The Internet has lots of collections of cliches and figures of speech. ClicheSite has a searchable index. Metaphors.com focuses just on metaphors. There are plenty of ideas to practise with – Enjoy!

I’ve written about my process for breaking down inspiring sketchnotes and building a visual dictionary/thesaurus. Tom suggested that I put together an Evernote shared notebook where I can share examples with you. Since I can’t share my main visual library because it uses snippets of other people’s sketchnotes, I’ve been slowly building up a visual library based on my own sketches. As you’ll see, I have a very simple vocabulary! Here’s my process for building my vocabulary:

And here’s the actual library as an Evernote shared notebook. So far, it includes elements from my sketchnotes from 2013. I’m looking forward to adding more sketches from previous years and my daily sketches, and redrawing some of the more common terms I’ve seen in other people’s sketches.

This is what it looks like in Evernote:

Enjoy! I’d love to see your visual library/dictionary/thesaurus. Evernote looks like an excellent tool for creating and sharing these, and I hope you’ll put one together for yourself too. Feel free to browse through and use mine!

Instead of sharing a sketchnoting tip, I thought I’d write about a new habit that I’m working on forming: drawing my thoughts every day. It turns out that this is a great way to think about stuff and practice drawing at the same time.

I find it difficult to draw a visual journal because I don’t think the everyday details of my life are all that interesting. On the other hand, I really like the way drawing helps me think through stuff. Instead of drawing what I had for lunch, then, I pick an idea or question I want to explore, and then I start writing. Sometimes I’ll add little sketchnote-y doodles. Sometimes the page is full of text. I always end up learning a little more or having a clearer understanding, so it all works out.

The sketchnotes are more fun to create and easier to share than writing text notes or making simple mindmaps. They’re also easier to review. I scan my sketchnotes every day and import them into Evernote and Flickr, and I’ve flipped through my digital copies a few times already.

I fill way more pages when I use drawing as a tool for thinking instead of just as a tool for recording other people’s thoughts. I’ve been averaging 6 notes a day at about 20 minutes a note, and I consider it time well spent. As I get the hang of doing this, maybe my notes will be more creative and more elaborate. We’ll see!

Don’t limit sketchnoting to drawing other people’s thoughts or save it only for brainstorming on special occasions. Use it every day as a tool for helping you think! =)

It’s good to think about how you want to grow, collect examples, break down those goals into specific skills you can work on, and practise. You can see how I’ve been practising and sharing different skills in my sketchnote lessons. =) Focusing on one skill at a time makes it easier to try different variations and learn more.

By the way, if you would like to practise by making your own sketchnote lessons, please feel free to share your work with me and I can link to it or repost it in this series.

If you’re starting out with sketchnotes, you don’t have to use color right away. Go ahead and draw with whatever you feel comfortable with, whether that’s a black technical pen, a 4-color ballpen, or a digital stylus.

You can always add color afterwards. On paper, you can use crayons, colored pencils, highlighters, markers, and so on. Make sure you test it in an inconspicuous area (maybe on a separate piece of paper) because your coloring method may interact badly with your drawing.

You can also add color on the computer. I prefer this way because then I can easily change my mind about what colors to use. Erasing is easier. Learn how to use the software tools that are out there. Here is a quick video I put together on how to use the free GIMP tool to add color by either replacing the ink that’s there (as if you changed pens) or adding color on top (as if you used a highlighter).

Okay, so that takes care of the mechanics. What about the styles?

Develop your personal style by looking for inspiration and experimenting with ideas. In addition to checking out people’s sketchnotes, look elsewhere for interesting color combinations: nature, art, product designs, and so on. Try different techniques and colors.

Here’s a sampler of different coloring styles I’ve played with in my sketchnotes:

In addition to drawing icons, you can also play with the forms of words in order to make them more fun or visually interesting. Here are some examples. Click on the image to view or download a larger version that you can trace or doodle on, and feel free to share this with others. (Creative Commons Attribution License)

Here are some examples of different lettering styles that you can try. Some of them (like Chisel or Reverse) may be easier to do digitally than on paper. Click on the image to view or download a larger version, and have fun practicising. Enjoy!

I write in print instead of cursive because this is easier to read. Computers seem to be better at understanding printed letters instead of cursive. (I use Evernote to search my notes.) For emphasis, I sometimes use Multiple (draw the same letter twice), or Bold if I can anticipate the need to switch pens.

Banners and ribbons are a quick way to emphasize parts of your drawing. Instead of drawing the banner and then trying to fit the text into it, try drawing the text first and then drawing the banner around it. Here’s a step-by-step example.

1. Draw the text with plenty of space around it

2. Draw a box around the text.

3. Add two small triangles below the box.

4. Draw horizontal lines extending beyond the triangle, and another set of lines the same distance from the top of the box.

Want to make your drawings more interesting? Add emotions! Drawings of emotions can communicate so much more than words describing emotions, and they do so in an immediate, visceral way. For example, consider the list of words below, and the faces beneath them.

Even if you don’t think you’re an artist, you can draw basic emotions easily. Simple combinations of eyebrows and mouths say a lot. You can show different degrees of emotions by emphasizing parts.

Play around, and you’ll find even more emotions that you can express with small changes to the face. For inspiration, you can look at smileys and emoticons.

Icons and symbols let you be even more expressive. You can pick these up from comics and smileys.

Emotions aren’t just expressed with the face. Posture can communicate emotions powerfully too. Explore the physicality of emotions by looking at how actors show feelings, or by imagining yourself feeling those emotions.

You can also show emotions in how people relate to each other.

Metaphors are fun to play with, too.

Learning how to draw emotions isn’t just useful for sketchnoting. You can draw emotions in order to understand other people better. Mindmaps or empathy maps can help. You can draw your own emotions, too. When I’m faced with a difficult situation or a confusing tangle of emotions, I try to break down the different emotions I feel and the reasons why I feel that way. When you understand why you’re happy and sad and worried and excited all at the same time, it’s easier to move forward.

Want to learn more about drawing emotions? The best resource I’ve found so far is the Bikablo Emotionsbook, which has a lot of full-body emotions. Here’s a sample of the drawings I made based on part of the Bikablo Emotions book. (There are even more emotions in the book – check it out!)

Children’s books are a good source of emotions. I remember loving the Mr. Men and Little Miss series when I was growing up, and I look forward to discovering other wonderful illustrations as I go through the library’s collections. =)

Comics are another great way to learn more about expressing emotions, from the concise forms of newspaper strips to more elaborate drawings in comic books.

I’m thinking of going through those lists and practising drawing all these different emotions. Want to join me? I’ll post stuff here once in a while, and I’d love it if you sent me links to your drawings!

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JohnKitchin Thanks. That matches my current understanding too. It seems like use-package pretty conveniently installs and configures packages. I have seen cask for creating and installing... – Emacs configuration and use-package